Chicago Foodies

Lula Cafe's Chef Michael Simmons – On Asparagus

We interviewed Chef Michael Simmons of Lula Café to learn more about asparagus and how he incorporates this delectable little vegetable into his cooking. Chef Simmons is an expert when it comes to cooking with seasonal and local ingredients. (CF = Chicago Foodies, MS = Michael Simmons)

• CF: When do you typically start incorporating asparagus on your menu?
• MS: Late winter/early spring-spring proper.
• CF: Why? 
• MS: It's delicious, beautiful, and multi-dimensional. That is to say you can eat it raw, pickled, grilled, poached, shaved and as a soup – with breakfast, lunch and dinner.  It’s a fantastic little pointy veggie.
• CF: Is there is a varietal that you like to use over another? In your ‘6 minute duck egg’ dish I noticed that you used sprue, why?
• MS: I like them all, the big purple, green and white. We used the sprue because it is exactly the time for sprue. Sprue refers to the first shoots, or the very first asparagus of the season. This is thrilling because it sort of heralds the coming of all things spring in terms of veggies. This is the most exciting time for cooks because everything is fresh and green and bright. 

Sixteen's New Chef Thomas Lents Recommits Trump to Fine Dining

When your restaurant is located in Trump Tower, it seems a given that it would ooze fine dining. Or would it? A recent spate of "re-concepting" to more casual ventures from The Peninsula's Avenues, The Four Seasons' Allium (née Seasons), and The Park Hyatt's NoMI Kitchen (née NoMI), makes one wonder whether Sixteen's new chef, Thomas Lents, wasn't also headed in that direction. The answer, it turns out, it a resounding "no." Here, Lents explains why not.

Chicago Foodies: Why stay fine dining?
Lents: I think fine dining is always going to be relevant. Like any trend, the farm-to-table trend has reached its apex. Some people want space between tables, don't want to have to shout over people, and want to enjoy the companionship of fine dining. That market is here, and the talent level of other chefs in Chicago is certainly here. You have a fine setting in Sixteen, and a beautiful room, and it demands fine dining. I think there's room for not just maintaining the status quo in fine dining, but coming up with a new level for it.

CF: What does that mean to you?
Lents: You need to give choice to people and make it approachable and comfortable, and you can take some of the techniques and ingredient-driven ideas that have come through, and put them in a fine dining setting. If you look at my menu, you'll see ox tail and bone marrow, and I am a big belivever in nose-to-tail cooking. I've been doing farm-to-table for 20 years, but my tables and my farms are just a bit more spread out.

BLT American Brasserie Now Open in River North

Maybe they're all trying to capitalize on holiday diners and shoppers, but last week was quite a week for restaurants openings. First came Bar Toma, The Slurping Turtle, and Yusho, and on Friday night, Laurent Tourondel's BLT American Brasserie opened unexpectedly. While the project, housed in the former Brasserie Ruhlman space on Superior, had been in the works for some time, it was something of a surprise when the doors finally flung open. So, what can Chicago expect from this NYC import?

Uncommon Ground & Finch's Beer Company – Beer Dinner Oct. 27th

Uncommon Ground is hosting Finch's Beer Co. for a beer dinner Thursday the 27th.
Three courses, three beers... $25.

Uncommon Ground
3800 N. Clark St.
773.929.3680

 

The Great Leap Forward: Acre Restaurant's Killer Taps

I've been to Andersonville's Acre Restaurant a handful of times and during each visit it has increasingly grown on me. It's a pleasant space, having taken over the for the former inhabitant, Charlie's Ale House, whose beers were sometimes good but usually lacking.  At Acre, you can stay out on the street until at least 11 on a Friday and still get service there.  (Hello, City of Chicago.)  The food, as I understand it, is sourced from local, sustainable growers.  The pork burger was exceedingly fresh. 

But the heart of the matter here is beer and Acre is nailing it in that department.  The first few times I ventured in there I didn't see a lot of impressive handles.  They featured a lot of the best stuff that you can find at many Lincoln Park sports bars.  Well, that has dramatically changed.  Several weeks ago, Acre held a Stone tap takeover.  While there have been a number of these since Stone's 2010 Chicago arrival, few that I recall have featured such unique beers. 

The Grahamwich Gyro

I like Graham Elliot Bowles. I liked him when he was at Avenues. I liked his eponymous restaurant from the night of its soft launch. I was looking forward to Grahamwich in earnest. A gourmet sandwich place 3 blocks from my office - perfect.

Months ago when it had just opened, I waited a few days to avoid the line then went at about 1:30 for a couple sandwiches and an order of chips... which came out to over $20. On top of that the place was mobbed. It was going through some growing pains that any new place would have so the ordering process had some sorting out needed. There was no seating at the time in the place at all and what they did have boiled down to a large shared table that made seating and leaving very crowded. The place was standing room only.

The two sandwiches I had were super messy, albeit tasty (props for the plaintain bun) but all-in-all the hassle and cost were more than the flavor was worth. I chose to not write it up at the time thinking that I needed to give it another shot later.

Now (finally!) it's later. I found out that Ginza was closed for the holiday so on my circuit back to work I realized I could grab a Grahamwich and see how things were going. So I did. I didn't realize just how often I eat at Ginza.

Fish Bar: The Real Deal

Editor's note– Welome to our new writer, Ashley Streichert, a Loyola grad who loves food and the conversations food creates.

If you love seafood, then you must check out Lakeview's new restaurant Fish Bar. The owner's of DMK opened up this restaurant in the beginning of March and they really hit the nail on the head. The concept is simple, the food is fresh, and the prices are right.

I went to Fish Bar on a Thursday evening and waited an hour for a table. The wait was tolerable. You can grab drinks from the bar, hang out and peruse the menu. They have a nice selection of craft beers, including Blanche de Bruxellea Witbier for $5.50 a pint. They also had Bloody Mary oyster shooters for $4, which I couldn't pass up.

Roscoe Village Burger Fest...This Weekend!

Summer grilling or winter comfort, burgers are a food for all seasons, and they never go out of fashion. This weekend you can see the Gin Blossoms, 10,000 Maniacs, and eat a lot of burgers!

Formerly known as the Belmont Arts and Music fest, The newly renamed Roscoe Village Burger Fest will run 12-10pm on Saturday & Sunday at the Belmont and Damen intersection.

Live music both days and a wide variety of burger vendors is a scrumptious choice for Chicago summer fun.

Sample burgers from Goose Island, Select Cut, John's Place, Village Tap, The Bad Apple, and Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro.

Consumption highlights include: The Bad Apple offers up hormone-free all natural beef from New York, Village Tap is likely to serve cajun veggie or bacon and egg steak burger, and don't forget to try the Goose Island burgers, which may be topped with either a goat cheese croquette and onion marmalade or stilton cheese and roasted garlic cloves. Delicious!  - Here's the link to the website.

Six Plates in Durham, NC

Serendipitously, right before my most recent trip, the NYT published an article expounding upon the push for local ingredients in Durham. The result is a rising number of low-key restaurants that source hyper-fresh and artisanal ingredients, reinventing Southern classics like biscuits and grits with a sophisticated touch. The movement is further aided by the abundance of farmer's markets and long growing season. Not that I don't love Chicago's farmer's markets, but North Carolina is about 30 degrees and a growing month ahead of us, and the difference in offerings is stark.

One of the restaurants mentioned in the article was Six Plates, a wine bar featuring a varying list of (you guessed it) six small plates each night. Each plate is paired with a carefully chosen glass of wine. There are also 2-3 additional small plate options, which are permanent mainstays on the menu. The plates range between $7-9, and our group split four items and a bottle of wine for only $20 and change.

Signs that you are not in Chicago anymore: nice restaurants are frequently located in strip malls. And, there is no need for a reservation, even for a prime Saturday night. We called Six Plates to find out if we needed a reservation, particularly since the restaurant had been recently written up. The bartender assured us that this was unnecessary, and sure enough, we were able to snag seats without a problem when we arrived.

A Revolution is Brewing

I would contend that Chicago has some of the most intelligent, passionate lovers of craft brews around. Lately it seems there has been an influx of headlining brewers making their mark in the windy city – Revolution, Half Acre, Metropolitan, Two Brothers, and most recently and with great fanfare, Stone Brewery. According to Stone’s twitter feed, Chicago became its fifth largest market… after only a week. Bonkers. Yeah. Chicagoans love a good beer.

I’ll be honest, I have not had the opportunity to try out some of the goods from all of the above, but I did make a Sunday mid-afternoon journey to Logan Square to visit Revolution Brewery (2323 North Milwaukee Ave).

The place exudes class, warmth, and passion for both their food and beer. A lot of brew pubs display their tanks right up front – sometimes an indicator of misplaced priorities. If there is serious brewing going on – and I mean, the messy, hot, smelly pour-your-heart-and-soul into it brewing – those suckers are going to be in a place where they’ll actually be used.

Revolution has theirs in the back with windows for curious diners to look through, but where crafting is actually going on by head brewer, Jim Cibak.

Asian Carp, the Obtainable Sustainable

It is a distant relation to your pet goldfish. It feeds rapaciously on plankton like an aquatic pig and has a face only a mother could love. It threatens to singlehandedly upend the food chain in our lakes. There are more of them in the Mississippi River basin than in any river in China. Behold the Asian Carp.

Unless you've been living with your head stuck in a riverbed, you have no doubt heard about the latest invasive species threatening to disrupt the ecosystem of the Great Lakes. Last week, the Chicago Reader published an issue highlighting the Asian carp, analyzing the battle to halt the carp's spread with electric barriers. How much longer will physical measures stop the invasion? In December 2009, when a six-mile stretch of the Chicago canal was poisoned in order to complete maintenance on the electric barrier, an Asian carp was found among the dead fish. The ensuing brouhaha led several neighboring states to file suit against the state of Illinois, demanding that the commercially-vital locks be completely closed. But it may already be too late. A new eDNA test that detects species-specific DNA in running water has found already found evidence of Asian carp in the waters above the electric fence.

Kuma's Corner: A Test of Endurance

Sometimes you have to wonder whether the reason everyone loves Kuma's Corner is because they're so damn hungry by the time they actually get a burger.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not upset about my two-hour wait at 4 pm on a Sunday. I came fully aware, warned by other diners that lines spilling out the door were the status quo at Kuma's, and that no reservations were taken. Even their website admonishes you with a list of rules: "Our kitchen is only 16x6. Please be patient." Fair enough, they can't help it if they're wildly successful and perennially voted Chicago's top burger, right? I just wish I had eaten more before subjecting myself to hours of gastronomic abuse, hearing the sizzle of the grill and watching formidable plates of burgers waft past me to other lucky guests. Apologies to the guy who was sitting at the counter in front of me. I thought if I stared hard enough, I might be able to move a burger with telekinetic powers.

In the meantime, there is certainly plenty to see inside the dining room. Kuma's Corner is first and foremost a metal bar, with a hold-no-prisoners attitude and loud metal soundtrack to make any black leather-clad, gauntlet-wearing thrasher feel at home. A poster on the back wall declares, "Die emo die." This atmosphere may not be immediately appealing to you, but the burgers served here are so fantastic that lawyers and grandmothers of all stripes brave the scene.

Crispin: The New Cider in Town

Cider is one of those alcoholic beverages that has never gotten a fair shake on many levels.  First of all, sugary-sweet overly processed concoctions give cider a bad rap, conjuring images of drunken teenagers or amateurs at happy hour.  Second, there just isn't that much cider to begin with.  Michael Christensen, the Regional Manager of the Midwest region, said that 0.3 percent of the alcoholic beverage market in the U.S. is cider, whereas it is six percent in the U.K.  A lot of educating is necessary to build what appears to be a wide open market with lots of growth.

South Africa native Joe Heron founded Crispin in 2008 on the idea that the cider market was under-served with what is essentially perceived to be rubbish.  Last night, Michael Christensen and the Crispin sales crew successfully demonstrated what a good cider should taste like:  one that is made essentially from apple juice, wine or beer yeasts, and honey or maple syrup. They were also nice enough to provide us with invitations to the event.

M Burger. Good, Fast or Cheap. Pick 2... right?

Well it's not exactly fast. So fast food that's not fast is what? The line outside of M Burger is long. It's not likely going to get short anytime soon. You'd think that's because foodies make a point to head over for burgers made in a kitchen that used to house TRU's pastry kitchen but it's more likely that it's across the street from the hospital. Nearly the entire lunch line was badged hospital staff. Considering nothing is over $5 it's a welcome addition to the local workforce.

Truth told the line for takeaway took 20 minutes. The walk back to the office 2 minutes. When I opened my bag and saw that they forgot a burger I was really disappointed. I've never had it happen to me at a McDonald's... so that's not good.

With a twinge of frustration I decided to just deal, I mean who goes back for a burger? Granted I ended up paying ten bucks for a burger and fries, albeit unintentionally, but they're swamped. I'll bug them later and see what happens.

I did get the M burger... they left out a regular burger. The M is awesome. It's really what I like about fast food burgers. The meat is not livery. It's well done (as any thin fast food patty should be). There may be a bit of salt on the burger but I think it's the sauce. Until I get that damn plain one, I won't really know. The fries were a bit salty but not as salty as the 5 Guys fries.

Restaurant Week: Blackbird

So I found out too late that Blackbird was serving dinner in addition to lunch specials for restaurant week. But, no matter, I was in for the typical Blackbird treat.

I hit about 4 places every restaurant week. I find the choices made to be very indicative of the caliber of restaurant. You can tell when certain menus seem chintzy. It sometimes is a type of ingredient or a very common dish. Broad examples would be pasta-heavy options or maybe lots of chicken. It could maybe be dishes with very few ingredients or big hunks of grilled something ie. burgers, etc.

Blackbird offered roasted chicken, grilled trout or a sweet potato agnolotti and in doing so could suggest some prix fixe adjustment. But it just goes to show how perceptions are unreliable. It may have been one of the best lunches out that I've had (the last one also being at Blackbird).

HB: Home Bistro... In the words of Britney Spears, "Gimme More"

I say “Gimme More”, not because I was disappointed, but rather I cannot wait to go back and try the rest of the menu. This past Wednesday, another self ordained Foodie and I ate at HB: Home Bistro on Halsted Street. For $29 per person (3-course menu), we enjoyed one of the best meals in a long time!  HB is also a BYOB, so the bill for the 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 desserts was $64. Value, leftovers, and satisfying/memorable food…very nice!  HB offers a variety of dishes that can be categorized as American cuisine with East Coast and European influences.

Ria and Balsan at the Elysian Hotel

After months of anticipation, delays and rumors, the Elysian Hotel finally unveils two new restaurants this week. Ria is an upscale dinner-only concept with a focus on seafood, while sister restaurant Balsan is more casual, featuring a raw bar, wood-fired oven pizzas and housemade charcuterie. Both restaurants are on the third floor of the sparkling (literally) new Elysian Hotel, whose elegant European courtyard entrance is worth a detour by itself. Executive Chef Jason McLeod leads the helm for both restaurants, and has ample amounts of luxury hotel experience under his toque from San Diego's Grand Del Mar resort and Four Seasons. He is also wont to walking around with a cast-iron skillet of sizzling sausages. The rich, meaty smell was making heads swivel like a turntable.

So, were the restaurants worth the wait? Are hotels finally shedding their reputation for overpriced, stodgy dining and leading the way with revolutionary new restaurants? I dropped by the media preview on Monday night to check out the action.

Nightwood - Brunch

Nightwood is a relatively recent addition to the neighborhood of Pilsen, brought to you by the owners of Logan Square's Lula Cafe. With a market-driven contemporary American menu that changes daily, the restaurant has been hailed as a diverse bite in a sea of tacquerias. Their Sunday brunch service is an even newer phenomenon, having been around only since mid-August.

Located on an otherwise quiet stretch of Halsted, Nightwood attracts a trendy crowd of discerning locavores and fixie-riding hipsters. On this particular visit, I arrived bright and early at 10 am, out of fear that Nightwood would be swamped with Bongo Room-esque lines. Much to my happy surprise, we were able to get a table without a wait, but I expect the crowds to build in coming months as the secret gets out. In the meantime, there is ample street parking near the restaurant.

Flossmoor Brewery

In the mood for some quality craft beers? Itching to get out of the city for the day? In search of hoppy times, I recently took a trip to Flossmoor Brewery for a summer diversion.

Flossmoor Brewery is set in idyllic downtown Flossmoor, an easy 45-minute Metra ride from the loop. If you go over the weekend, the weekend Metra pass will set you back a mere $5. Once you arrive in Flossmoor, the brewpub is immediately adjacent to the station, marked by its distinctive train station decor. Behind the main restaurant is the Old Caboose Ice Cream Shoppe, a charming ice cream parlor built in an authentic caboose car, perfect for your (inner) child.

We started off with the meal with an appetizer of fried green beans, battered in Zephyr Golden Ale tempura. The coating was crisp and well-seasoned, and the bright burst of green bean flavor inside made me feel like this was semi-healthy. If only all vegetables could taste this good.

The BEST 'Happy Hour' in Chicago… Fleming's

Fleming's has been serving their "5 for $6 'Til 7" special this summer and, frankly, it's the best deal in the city. They're offering a selection of 5 Cocktails, 5 Wines and 5 Appetizers for $6 initially, until 7pm but it now is running all night.  If there is a downside to tasty and affordable beef carpaccio, seared tuna, lump crab cakes and top shelf cocktails it's that the dining area is not a rooftop deck. That said, the rooftops seem to be aloof and un-apologetically trendy to a fault.

So I find myself more often than expected enjoying an after work snack of seared tuna with a lovely wasabi/mustard sauce and a nice glass of Mondavi's Solaire Chardonnay. Followed by a Dimond Rita (glorified margarita with Herradura) or a Grey Goose Appletini hold the apple and the jumbo lump crab cakes – all together you're looking at $24. Not bad at all.